I understand the value of using this forum to keep everything related to AR and Veg. in one place, but it isn't easy to read, to find threads, to follow threads, etc.

I actually think Yahoo Groups are much better at facilitating single-topic discussions. For a nice simple email list with a web archive, I recommend setting up a public YG for the book club. I use them for everything from parties to professional services and they work great and are free.

They do have conference rooms available. The ones available for monthly use can seat 15 people. Anyone who is a SF resident can reserve them. That's where we had our Meat Market book discussion. It worked rather well. It was not a round table, but rectangular, and also had the advantage of being quiet. All the details are on the website.

Some restaurants can be noisey and don't lend themselves to casual conversation, much less a book discussion. And, having it in a meeting room may be more inclusive towards folks who prefer not to dine out for whatever reasons (food preference, budget, etc). Or, this could also be an alternating factor (meeting room this time, restaurant next time, etc)

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If enough East Bay and SF/close to SF people express interest to be feasible, having two separate sets of group meetings might be a possibility.

That'd be good because if there are too many people, discussion are difficult to allow everyone opportunity to participate.

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I, personally, will not meet at a restaurant or other place that serves non vegetarian food.

I won't object to that

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if anyone wants to take over leadership for this activity, I'd be grateful.

You're doing a great job Lisa! I'll be including this in the Sept newsletter with a link to this thread for people to contact you.

Hi Bruce, Rachel, Emily, Bob, Tammy, Chris, and the three people I'm in contact with via emails, and anybody else I've forgotten, and others interested,

I'd be willing to switch venues for posts although I do like this forum. I agree the thread is getting a bit unwieldy. I was going to change anyway: possibly to evite, but could do yahoo instead, once we get an initial meeting time and place.

I'm actually looking for a site where my email address won't be posted on any message itself, if possible. So if anybody knows one...

Bruce, is there a way you could send me (via pm) or the group/post a link to a sample of a single issue discussion on yahoo? I've never used yahoo for that so I don't know how it works there. Thanks.

The San Francisco main library might be our best bet for an initial book club meeting, and perhaps subsequent meetings as well. We'd need between 6-15 committed participants, and would have to plan in advance as reservations for a room need to be made, and I'd have to go in at least 10 days ahead of the first time for an orientation. (Unless yours, Tammy, would suffice from the group that you had there already.)

If there are enough East Bay people that express interest, perhaps there could be a separate East Bay group. So far that's not the case.

The Mechanics' Institute does charge for meeting rooms. I'd be willing to discuss it if people are interested anyway, but the SFPL would be a free meeting place. If we do meet or sometimes meet at restaurants, I'd like it to be at different places so haven't contacted any yet. (I eat out only once or twice a week and I like variety!)

Ananda Fuara is a short block away from the Main Library so it would be one easy place to have a dining out in conjunction with a book group discussion.

What I'd like to do (feel free to keep making suggestions if you'd like) is to wait until Tammy includes this potential event in the September newsletter to see who else might be interested in particpating. Then I'd be happy to make arrangements for an initial meeting once I get input from everybody about their preferences for days/times, places, books, etc.

Oh, and I'll also peruse book club sites and look at your suggestions and make up a list of possible books from which we can select. If everybody gives multiple suggestions, it will be difficult agree on what to choose for a first book selection!

We run several very large Yahoo! Group Mailing lists for BAVeg, and have done so for close to 4 years, and we really like the tool, but it's not very good for threaded discussion. Especially when someone new joins and wants to catch up. I know that email archives can be threaded, but it doesnt always work and is stilll hard to catch up on old discussion.

I probably track 20 different Yahoo! Groups, but also prefer forums for some groups/websites/hobbies I participate in.

Having organized threads in a forum allows people to pick and choose what to read, and it also allows better organization/seperation. But it's all a matter of personal choice and works for the job in hand.

Evite also works well, but it's more of a one off thing to plan specific events and it's hard to really have broader discussion and in this case, would not help much beyond tracking how's coming to an event.

Bottom line, and BAV's golden rule is that organizers/volunteers should do whatever works best for them - 2nd rule is to remember that you'll never please everyone, and to remember rule #1 and look after yourself first.

If the book club ideas does take off it's pretty easy to create a seperate sub-forum here just for the book club to make it easier for people to track, and we can have seperate theads for each things, e.g. Which books, another on location ideas, and another for each book to discuss stuff post meeting. These are just example, and you get the idea.

Hi everybody,
I like the idea of meeting at a quiet place like the SF Public Library to discuss the book, then heading over to a vegan restaurant. That sounds easy and fun! Or, if you can find a vegan restaurant that is conducive to a book discussion, that would work, too.
Keep up the good work!
-Rachel

I just saw Tammy's post on the new book about the lives of 75 animals that went through animal shelters and their eventual fate. Thanks for pointing this out Tammy ... sounds like a worthwhile read to me. Here is the link to the article about the book "One at a Time" that Tammy cited.

Eventually when we make a list of potential books for the group to read, let's add this one to the list.

Also, Tina Flower and I went to see McLIBEL at the Red Vic Theater on Sunday, and we passed by the Red Vic Cafe where they serve vegetarian (not all vegan ) refreshments, and they have tables where people can get together and talk. The girl behind the counter said that Bay Area Veg is already using this spot for letter-writing parties. The location is in the Haight in SF, so it's not very BART-able, but I just wanted to post it as another idea for a book discussion location ...

Well, I'm waiting for Tammy's post about this idea in the September newsletter, compiling a short list of books as a possible first book: probably will be the 2 ar/veg books Tammy mentioned and about 4 general books, which would represent the proportion of general to animal rights books we'd read over the course of the year. And I'm trying to figure out some potential days/times we could meet.

If anybody has any ideas on the scheduling issue, trying not to conflict with other BAV activities while being as convenient as possible for those interested, please share!!! (I, for instance, can never meet on Thursday evenings, and I prefer weekend days to evenings but I'm VERY flexible about that! Trying to find a good time for a group should be fun! Thanks!

Rachel, the Red Vic also isn't so great for parking but it would be a pleasant place to meet!

calicokitten wrote:

the Red Vic Cafe where they serve vegetarian (not all vegan ) refreshments, and they have tables where people can get together and talk. The girl behind the counter said that Bay Area Veg is already using this spot for letter-writing parties. The location is in the Haight in SF, so it's not very BART-able, but I just wanted to post it as another idea for a book discussion location ...

I want to get a group committed for a first meeting/book discussion and if we have between 6-15 the SF main library might be a good first location. As a group, we could then discuss future meeting sites and decide on a books read schedule, whether we make up a long list of books or decide month to month what the next book would be.

One "rule" in choosing books that I think is crucial is that all books selected be available in paperback. That would make it more likely for books to be available at libraries and would limit the financial expenditures of those who chose or needed to buy the books.

Tammy, if you're following this thread: when does the September newsletter come out? And would it be helpful for me to give you the potential books and times for that announcement? (I can't be available over Labor Day weekend to post but could do so before or after.)

Thanks all for your continued interest. I'm hoping to have a first meeting sometime no later than October.

Below is a list from which we can choose a first book. I'm sure we're all open to other suggestions also, but we have to start with some narrowed down and manageable list. Most the following books have been enjoyed by other book clubs and/or are award winners. There are 4 fiction, 4 nonfiction, 2 animal rights/veg books. If we could make a selection from this list for the first book, then the group could nominate and vote on all future books, either month to month or in advance.

People who have interest in participating in the book club can look up these books on Amazon.com or other sites/stores/libraries, then maybe we can have some sort of voting process. And, I think two things to keep in mind are that a book club is an opportunity to read books which you otherwise might have never read, and that not everyone can enjoy every book. That said, it would be helpful to pick a "good" first book. And these suggestions are not written in stone. Also, while it would be ideal to always choose books none of the participants have read, it might not be feasible for our first book; I have read some of the books on this list.

Since the tentative plan is to read 4 ar/veg books and 8 general books each year, it might be good to set the tone by NOT starting with an ar/veg book. If the group wants to start with a veg book though, I think Tammy said she might be willing to plan/lead those meetings. If we pick a general book I'm willing to do so.

Any suggestions about day & time would be most appreciated!

Thanks. Lisa (list below)

ideas for first book:

general books for 8 of the 12 meetings:

fiction:

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
China Boy by Gus Lee [first/current SF city book club selection]
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

nonfiction:

Blackbird A Childhood Lost and Found by Jennifer Lauck
The End of Nature by Bill McKibben
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

Tammy's suggestions for the ar/veg 4 of 12 of the meetings:

Living Among Meat Eaters by Carol Adams
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell

* I WOULD LIKE TO POST THIS POSSIBLE ACTIVITY TO READERSCIRCLE.ORG AND CRAIGSLIST.ORG, BUT IT WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE (AND SEEMS TO BE EXPECTED!) THAT AN INITIAL MEETING TIME AND PLACE BE SCHEDULED FIRST.

*** And we do need a firm commitment from at least 6 people if we're going to book a room at the SFPL. If we might have fewer than 6 participants, we'll meet at a veg*n restaurant for vegan food.

* NOTE: Please check out calicokitten's post right below this post as it has links to info on all of the nominated books!

* ALSO NOTE: When you suggest a day/time for meetings, please keep in mind that if we meet at a library, home, public space, we might want to do an optional vegan diining out after or before our book discussion. Thanks!

general books for 8 of the 12 meetings:

fiction:

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
China Boy by Gus Lee [first/current SF city book club selection]
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

nonfiction:

Blackbird A Childhood Lost and Found by Jennifer Lauck
The End of Nature by Bill McKibben
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

Tammy's suggestions for the ar/veg 4 of 12 of the meetings:

Living Among Meat Eaters by Carol Adams
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell

Hi Everybody,

I will edit THIS specific post as votes come in.

Please vote for your favorite book on the list for our first book, if you think there's a relatively good chance that you'll try to attend the first discussion meeting.

The deadline for voting is Monday, 19 September.

Also, please either make some suggestions for our once a month meeting day and time, and/or please share days/times that aren't good for you.

Because I nominated the books, I won't vote for my choice of book. I will share that I can never meet on Thursdays, but that I will try to be flexible about being able to be there for other days/times most suggested.

Once the votes are in and I see how many people might be interested, I'll make some arrangements, or Tammy probably will if an ar/veg book is chosen. If it looks as though we'll have a minimum of 6 and up to 15 people, I'll make a reservation for a private room at the San Francisco Public Library. (Unless you have a better suggestion!) If we have just a few people, we can pick a good veg*n restaurant where we could meet for the first time; perhaps in October, or probably November, giving everyone a full month to read the selected book.

Thanks for your participation! Lisa

Last edited by LHLisavegan on Mon Sep 19, 2005 11:18 pm; edited 22 times in total

lisa, just wondering what the responses are leaning towards? my vote would be living among meat eaters (LAME). although i've been vegan for about 15 years, i just read that book a few years ago and i still found it interesting and helpful. it's a quick read, too.

but, it's fine w/me if the first book is a non-veg/ar selection. eventually (hopefully) we'll get to LAME.

for my participation, i'm partial to sunday mid-afternoon... which would coincide nicely w/food afterwards or during.... as long as it's not the same date as the Compassionate Living program, which i host. (you can see the monthly events overview for the most obvious dates of when other events in SF and elsewhere are happening)

as for location, i like the main library. someone other than me needs to book it, because the person booking the room definitely has to be at the meeting and i may not be able to attend all the discussions.

my other thought is around coordination and timing to give people enough time to acquire the book and read it, as well as the timing around promoting the event. for the baveg newsletter, it usually goes out at the beginning of the month and deadline is the week prior. for the october newsletter, there's an exception and we will be sending it out early so if you want this to go in the october newsletter, i'll need complete info by the 22nd.

Link is post a few above this where the running vote tally is. Please keep checking THAT post for current information! You can scroll up from here. Check out this last post (before this one) by LHLisavegan and the post below it with good book information by calicokitten.

The first book club meeting will be held on the 4th Sunday in January, 1/22/05 from 3-5 in the afternoon. We'll be discussing the book The Kite Runner, which is a novel by Khaled Hosseini. It's a book that's received much acclaim and has been enjoyed by many book clubs. Even if you've previously read it, please join us and contribute to and enjoy the discussion.

The BAV Book Club will be reading 7 or 8 general books a year such as novels, general nonfiction, and short story collections (which must be available in paperback) for 7 or 8 meetings a year on the 4th Sundays of January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and in December we might meet on the 1st Sunday of the month or some other convenient time, or might take that month off depending on what members want. These meetings will tentatively be held at the San Francisco Public Library main branch, located at 100 Larkin Street at Grove, from 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoons, contingent on getting reservations for a private room for 6-15 participants. At times we might meet at other locations if they are more convenient for members.

We will have optional dining outs after the meetings at vegan and vegetarian restaurants, where we will be ordering 100% vegan food. Participants do not need to be vegans or vegetarians; we'll welcome everyone.

There is a slight possibility that the group can get permission from the SFPL to have vegan refreshments in the room during our book talks - if so, we could have a vegan pot luck instead of a vegan dining out some months.

Future books will be decided by consensus, via this forum and at book club meetings.

Tammy will be holding the 4 ar/veg book meetings on the 2nd Sundays of February, May, August, and November as part of this book club, and in conjunction with BAV's Compassionate Living Program.

More info to follow - please keep checking THIS post.

For now, to RSVP for the 1/22/05 meeting to a reserve a space for yourself, please send a private message to LHLisavegan on this forum, post to this forum, or you can also email bavbookgroup@yahoo.com, which is an email address I've set up for book group business. If I post to craigslist.org and/or readerscircle.org about this activity, and if evite is eventually used for RSVPs, that will be the email address of record.

Thanks so much. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and enjoying some interesting book discussions and delicious vegan food.